Candidates defend taking photos with local extremist at Kemp event

Susan McCord @reportr1

Monday

Oct 29, 2018 at 9:40 PMOct 30, 2018 at 12:16 AM

Candidates for Georgia governor and U.S. Congress photographed in Augusta with an anti-Muslim and gun rights activist from Columbia County known for his extreme views said Monday they were unaware of his positions.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp, the GOP nominee facing Democrat Stacey Abrams for governor, said in a statement his smile and "thumbs up" gesture with Jim Stachowiak for the photo was inadvertent.

"Brian Kemp takes hundreds of photos a day while traveling the state," said his campaign communications director, Ryan Mahoney. "It's ridiculous to think he should be held responsible for the beliefs of every person who wants to snap a picture with him. Brian Kemp stands against hatred."

Democrats jumped at the opportunity to condemn the photographs, which show Stachowiak wearing a yellow shirt stating in large letters "Allah is not God and Mohammed is not his prophet," in addition to a Trump hat and Kemp sticker.

"The fact that Brian Kemp eagerly posed with a nationally-known white supremacist wearing a racist T-shirt tells you everything you need to know about the kind of governor he would be," said DuBose Porter, chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia.

Francys Johnson, the Statesboro attorney challenging Rick Allen to represent the 12th Congressional District, called on Allen to "repudiate the endorsement of white supremacist James Stachowiak." Johnson said Monday he'd received several death threats.

"Hate has no place in a modern Georgia," Johnson said. "Allen talks about scripture with his lips, but his deplorable actions show every Georgian with eyes to see what's in his heart."

Allen condemned Stachowiak and said he was unaware of his beliefs at the time the photo was taken.

"At the time of taking the photograph, I was not aware of Mr. Stachowiak's beliefs or previous comments," Allen said. "I condemn his violent rhetoric, and his extreme words and past actions do not represent the values that I hold so dear, under any circumstances."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations' Georgia chapter immediately demanded an apology from Kemp.

"Secretary Kemp should apologize for embracing a bigot who has defamed, harassed and threatened Georgia Muslims, as well as other communities," said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, executive director of CAIR-Georgia. "Mr. Kemp should clearly renounce this extremist's support, and just as strongly denounce anti-Muslim bigotry."

CAIR previously called for law enforcement to investigate and monitor Stachowiak after he posted a video of himself armed outside an Augusta mosque calling for "Death to Islam" and making obscenity-ridden threats.

Mitchell said Monday that CAIR had learned the back of Stachowiak's shirt said "Islam is the Devil."

"In the past week we've had three different attacks by right-wing extremists," he said. "The Kemp campaign should leave absolutely no room for fraternizing with these right-wing extremists."

Stachowiak gained attention in 2015 for standing with an assault rifle and pistol outside Augusta military recruiting centers after the shooting rampage at a Chattanooga, Tenn., recruiting center. After an earlier career as an Augusta University police officer, Stachowiak in 2008 had been charged with disorderly conduct when he began a political rant outside the Evans library on election day and was reported to have a weapon, though the police reported finding only a baton and pepper spray, according to The Augusta Chronicle's archives.

His most recent online postings include a video of a vigil at the "Silent Sam" Confederate monument in Chapel Hill, N.C., a call to implant "microchips" in undocumented immigrants, who he terms "animals," a video of him burning a rainbow flag, the symbol of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and a video of "proof" that Black Lives Matter is connected to an Islamic terrorist organization. He's also posted videos calling Black Lives Matter protestors "looters" who should be "shot on sight."

Stachowiak appeared with a small group of protestors outside an Abrams event for women veterans in Augusta last month. After a brief confrontation with a veteran and Rep. Gloria Frazier outside the event, he was not with another man who went in and questioned Abrams about Stone Mountain, the Georgia landmark with gigantic carvings of Confederate leaders. With the group that day was Daniel Martin, the former Blythe political candidate known to post white-supremacist memes who is facing vote-buying charges for supplying a minor with alcohol in exchange for a vote.

Dave Barbee, a longtime Republican strategist and Kemp supporter, said the open nature of the Oct. 5 rally Kemp helped make the selfies happen.

"When you have an open thing like that, things like that happen," Barbee said. "I know Brian doesn't know who he (Stachowiak) is."

Charles S. Bullock, Richard B. Russell Professor of Political Science at the University of Georgia, said unless a supporter is articulating a candidate's view, candidates generally aren't responsible for what supporters say or do.

"If the supporter has some view outside the scope of whatever the candidates said or expressed, (candidates) don't seem to be responsible for that," Bullock said.